Extra Story 8: A Letter from My Mother (2/2)

Cyril, who was chosen as the second prince's aide and became the vice president of the student council, was living a fulfilling student life. He had been behaving in a manner befitting a child of a noble family. People around him also expect him to do so.

Cyril was living as a respectable nobleman. And as a commoner mother like herself, she shouldn't get involved with him anymore.

—Or so Myra thought to herself.

”Today… I met a simple and docile girl… she complimented him a lot… and told me how kind he is… To think a girl like that had complimented Cyril so earnestly.”

Myra sniffed once before squeezing out a faint voice.

”She even told me that the flower in her possession was given by him.”

Each time Myra was crying after being abused by her late husband, the young Cyril always picked up a flower for her and said, ‘Mother, please don't cry, look at this beautiful flower, I'm sure you will feel better after looking at this.'

Cyril had always tried his best to please his mother in any way he could. And yet, Myra always rejected Cyril and never responded to any of his letters. Even the chocolate package he had sent to her a while ago hadn't been opened yet.

”…So when I heard that girl speak about Cyril, I finally realized. I had been too afraid to face the true nature of my son after having been haunted by the face of my late husband.”

The Marquis glanced at the downcast Myra and muttered to himself.

”Since we first met, Cyril has been the kind of boy who craves approval. That's why he is so ambitious. Even when he realized that he was no match for Claudia, he didn't slack down but started learning magic to acquire his own unique weapon instead.”

By the time Marquis realized his tendency to push himself too hard, Cyril had already developed a constitution that absorb mana abnormally after overworking his body in training. Cyril was so afraid at that time, thinking that he would be abandoned by the Marquis family. Of course, Marquis didn't intend to do that, so he asked the Seven Sages to create a brooch to discharge his excess mana.

”He may still be inexperienced, but he is diligent, hardworking, and ambitious. I expect him to follow in my footsteps in the future.”

”Thank you so much…”

”But that doesn't mean I'm going to forbid him to see you, his own mother. Though I would let him if he wants to visit his birthplace, Cyril is always hesitant when I told him so… I guess he is still afraid that you will reject him.”

Myra swallowed her words and Marquis said in a calm tone.

”You should write him a letter. The sooner you repair your relationship, the better.”

＊ ＊ ＊

After arriving home, Myra draped her stole over the back of her chair and pulled out a package of chocolates that she had kept in the cupboard. Carefully opening the seal, she followed the instructions in the letter to prepare the chocolate. The chocolate tasted sweet and delicious. Its soft sweetness evoked her old memories.

”Mother, why does that man always hit you?”

”Cyril, you shouldn't refer to your father as ‘that man'.”

”But, I don't understand. If I were him I would never raise my hand to someone I care about. I mean, If I see someone I cared about was crying or depressed I would make them something sweet and tasty to drink.”

”Right. If you ever find a girl you like, I'm sure you'll do it for her.”

Sipping a bit of the warm, sweet-smelling chocolate, Myra carefully scribbled out the words on the letterhead.

[If you have time during winter break, please come back home.

I'll make you your favorite stew.

Also, I would love to hear about your school life.

From your mother.

P.S. Thank you for the chocolate. It was delicious.]